Roll memorandum device

ABSTRACT

A roll memorandum device is shown which is formed with a body having a forwardly disposed table portion thereupon provided with a writing surface. A transversely disposed first shaft is connected to the body and is forwardly spaced and horizontally aligned with the paper roll support. Feed rollers are disposed upon the first feed shaft. A horizontally disposed pivotally movable holding member lies above the writing surface and overlies the feed rollers. A spring is connected to the holding member biasing the same toward the feed rollers. Means are provided to rotate the paper roll support and feed rollers simultaneously. Guide means are also provided within the body to guide selected portions of the paper roll.

United States Patent Mori Jan. 8, 1974 ROLL MEMORANDUM DEVICE PrimaryExaminer-Richard A. Schacher [76] Inventor: Chuzo Mori, 7-9 3-chome,Tateishi, Att0mey Frye r Fyensvold BlQw Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, Japan [22]Filed: Oct. 27, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT PP 301,550 A roll memorandum deviceis shown which is formed with a body having a forwardly disposed tableportion 30 F A ti Data thereupon provided with a writing surface. Atrans- 1 N g s? on y 46 22491 versely disposed first shaft is connectedto the body 0v. apan and is forwardly spaced and horizontally alignedwith the paper roll support. Feed rollers are disposed upon {22] (gl.226llis7s2h2il7 the first fee d Shaft. A horizontally disposed p y d 6157 127 movable holding member lies above the writing surl o c 226/l29face and overlies the feed rollers. A spring is connected to the holdingmember biasing the same 56 R f C1 d toward the feed rollers. Means areprovided to rotate 1 e erences l e the paper roll support and feedrollers simultaneously. UNITED STATES PATENTS Guide means are alsoprovided within the body to 1,099,182 6/1914 Krauth 226/129 X guideselected portions of the paper roll. 1,776,899 9/1930 Hagemann 226/156 X17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures L. 2 r 4 l \v/I Z5 a Tp p l 3 3% I l 1\ 1/4 -30 5 w I Qt l 6/ O l/ o l 47 PATENTEUJAH 8mm 3,784,074

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sum u [If 4 ROLL MEMORANDUM DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Theinvention relates to roll memorandum devices which are devices having apaper feed roll of which portions are selectively disposed upon awriting surface. In devices of this type the portion of the paper feedroll disposed upon the writing surface is written upon with appropriateinformation. A fresh writing surface can be then provided by merelyrotating the paper feed roll which causes the portion of the paperformerly disposed upon the writing surface to be removed therefrom.Also, in devices of this type, the portion of the paper roll writtenupon can be torn off.

Conventional devices of the above type suffer from certaindisadvantages. The principal disadvantage is the fact that the feedingmechanism for the paper from the paper roll to the writing surface isnot positive. That is, in many cases, the paper will slip and not feed.This, of course, makes the device inoperative.

The structure of the present invention avoids this disadvantage byproviding a horizontally disposed pivotally movable holding member uponthe writing surface and above the feed rollers. The holding member isspring biased toward the feed rollers. The paper is disposed between theholding member and the feed rollers and is thus placed in continuingclose contact with the feed rollers at all times.

A further disadvantage of conventional devices is the fact that thecontrol between the paper roll shaft and feed roller shaft is notpositive and the intermediate driving structure tends to slip. In thepresent device the means for driving are positively engaged anddisengaged when required.

A further disadvantage of conventional devices relates to the manner ofguiding the paper from the paper roll to the writing surface. The meansutilized in the present invention are simple, foolproof and positive.

A further disadvantage of conventional devices involves the means forplacing the paper roll in position upon the paper roll support means. Inthe present invention a pair of spaced slots are provided at oppositeends of the paper roll support means which can accommodate one end ofthe paper roll shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention, in its broadestaspect, constitutes a roll memorandum device which comprises, incombination, a body having a forwardly disposed table portion having awriting surface thereupon. The body also has a paper supply supportportion adjacent (preferably behind) the table portion. A feed shaft isdisposed beneath the table portion (preferably transversely). Paper feedmeans (preferably a pair of spaced feed rollers) are connected to thefeed shaft. A horizontally disposed spring loaded holding member isdisposed above the table portion and is biased toward the paper feedmeans so that selective portions of the paper supply are disposedbetween the paper feed means and the holding member so as to producepositive feeding of the paper supply.

Optionally, also, handle means are disposed upon the paper roll support,means are disposed upon the paper roll support which are operativelyconnected with the first feed shaft so that rotation of the paper rollsupport will rotate the first feed shaft, and a pair of slots areprovided laterally with respect to said paper roll support to providefor a simple and foolproof manner of replacing paper rolls whennecessary.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be further describedby reference to the accompanying drawings which are made a part of thisspecification.

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of one form of a rollmemorandum device made in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the roll memorandum deviceshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an opposite side view, partly in section of the rollmemorandum device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the roll memorandum device shown inFIG. 2 taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken of the form of invention shown inFIG. 2 taken along lines 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the form of inventionshown in FIG. 1 taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the form of invention shown in FIG.1 taken along lines 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the device of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BY REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS Theroll memorandum device 11 of this invention is formed with a body 12having a forwardly disposed table portion 13 thereupon. Portion 13 bearsa writing surface 14 thereupon. A paper roll support portion 15 isdisposed behind the table portion 13. Paper roll support portion 15 isalso formed with two pairs of spaced slots 16-17 at opposite sidesthereof. A shaft member 19 is disposed across support portion 15 and apaper roll 20 is carried by shaft 19.

A handle element 21 is disposed on one side of paper roll supportportion 15. Handle element 21 bears a projecting portion 22 thereuponhaving grip elements 40. Handle element 21 also has an arcuate slot 46therewithin and a projection 47 formed within lower element 48 normallyrides within slot 46. Handle element 21 also bears aninwardly projectingportion 49 (FIG. 1) which is provided with an opening 50 therewithin. Anintermediate member 64 lies beneath handle element 21. Member 64 isprovided with an opening 65 therewithin and an arcuate raceway overwhich handle element 21 is guided. Ratchet element 51 bears a projectingportion 52 which is adapted to be accommodated within opening 50.Portion 52 and opening 50 bear mating shoulder portions 54 and 55 (FIG.6) so that the turning of members 21 and 51 will be simultaneous.

Members 21 and 51 also bear mating openings within which a screw 53 isdisposed to hold the parts together.

Handle element 21 also bears a pair of spaced holding portions 42 and420 at its inner face. A spring 18 has one end 41 secured betweenportions 42 and 42a and its center portion 56 is disposed about portion49 of element 21. The opposite end 57 of spring 18 is held againstmember 47.

Within one end of paper roll support 15 an arcuate slot 58 is provided(FIG. 3). A portion of ratchet element 51 rides within slot 58. Aratchet member 24 of ratchet element 51 is adapted to mesh with gear 25.Gear 25 is disposed upon shaft 26 which is disposed within slot 27. Gear25 in turn is selectively adapted to mesh with gear 270 which is in turncarried on shaft 28. Gear 270 in turn meshes with gear 29 which iscarried upon shaft 29a. A pair of feed rollers 30 and 31 are carried byshaft 29a and are disposed within recesses 32 and 33 provided withintable portion 13.

A second shaft 34 is also provided in this structure. Shaft 34 has aspring 35 secured thereto. The central portion 59 of spring 35 isdisposed about shaft 34. Shaft 34 in turn is secured within a pair ofopposite downwardly depending portions 60 which are formed in holdingmember 61. Holding member 61 is horizontally disposed and overlies tableportion 13. One end portion 62 of spring 35 lies upon shaft 29a and theopposite end portion 63 of spring 35 is secured to holding member 61.Thus holding member 61 is spring loaded and biased toward feed rollers30 and 31.

The operation of this invention will now be explained.

A paper roll is disposed upon shaft 19. Shaft 19 is then placed betweenslots 16-17 at each end of the paper roll support portion of the deviceinto place. The paper issuing from roll 20 is guided through channel 36over paper support 37 and then over table portion 13. The paper is thenplaced below holding member 61 between the lower surface of member 61and feed rollers 30 and 31.

The operator of the device can now write a memorandum upon the portionof the paper issuing from the paper roll which is disposed above thewriting surface of the table portion.

When a fresh surface of paper is to be exposed the operator moves handle22 downwardly. This moves gear into contact with gear 26 and thus causesfeed rollers and 31 to grip the paper in contact with these rollers andto move it forwardly. Release of handle 22 will cause it to moveupwardly because of the pressure of the spring to which it isoperatively connected and also will release gear 25 from contact withgear 26. Thus a new forward movement can be initiated. It is also to benoted that rollers 30 and 31 are constantly urged against the abuttingsurface of the paper roll while the forward movement takes place. Thusconstant and positive feed of the paper is performed.

lt is also important to note the optional offset position of the paperroll member as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. in the preferredmodifications of this invention the paper roll shaft 19 is not designedto be placed on the exact center point of the sides of the paper rollsupport portion but is offset from the center point and slightly behindthe true center point. This permits room to be provided within the paperroll support portion for the operating mechanism of ratchet member, etc.

The foregoing sets forth the manner in which the ob jects of thisinvention are achieved.

I claim:

1. A roll memorandum device comprising, in combination, a body having aforwardly disposed table portion having a writing surface thereupon,said body also having a paper supply support portion adjacent a rearwardend of said table portion, a feed shaft disposed beneath said tableportion, paper feed means, including at least one resilient roller,connected to said feed shaft, a paper roll rotatably mounted in saidpaper supply support portion to have paper thereof extend towards aforward end of said paper feed means and back towards said paper roll onsaid writing surface, a horizontally disposed spring loaded holdingmember disposed above said table portion and biased toward the resilientroller of said paper feed means so that selective portions of said papersupply are disposed between the resilient roller of said paper feedmeans and said holding member so as to produce positive feeding of saidpaper supply.

2. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 1 further inciuding asecond shaft disposed adjacent said feed shaft, a spring means connectedto said second shaft and engaging said holding member to bias it towardssaid paper feed means.

3. A roll device as described in claim 2 further including a handlepivotally mounted on said paper roll support and drive means operativelyconnected be tween said handle and said paper feed means forintermittently feeding said paper supply upon actuation of said handle.

4. A roll memorandum device as described in Claim 3 wherein said drivemeans comprises a segment gear attached to said handle to pivottherewith, a first gear meshing with said segment gear, a second gearmeshing with said first gear, and a third gear meshing with said secondgear, a shaft carrying said first gear, a slot within said bodysupporting said shaft and a biasing spring disposed against said shaft,said first gear being adapted to selectively go into and out of engagedposition with said segment gear so that the paper roll can beintermittently rotated in one direction only.

5. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 4 wherein said body isprovided with a pair of laterally spaced open slots adapted to supportopposite ends of a shaft carrying said paper roll.

6. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 5 further including anelongated paper support channel upon the underside of said body, asubstantially U- shaped paper support at the front of said body adjacentsaid channel and a transversely disposed holding member upon the upperside of said body.

7. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 3 wherein said handlehas a centrally disposed boss pivotally mounted on said paper rollsupport an intermediate member disposed between said paper roll supportand said handle and having opening pivotally mounting said bosstherewithin and an arcuate guide portion supporting said handle member,a coil spring having its opposite ends respectively anchored to saidintermediate member and said handle to bias said handle upwardly, saiddrive means comprising a ratchet element attached to said handle forrotation therewith.

8. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 1 wherein a rotationalaxis of said paper roll is disposed at a point behind the center pointof said paper roll support portion.

9. A roll memorandum device comprising a body having a forwardlydisposed table portion having a writing surface thereupon and a papersupply support portion disposed adjacent to said table portion, a paperroll supported for rotation in said paper supply support portion at apoint behind a center point of said paper supply support portion, a feedshaft disposed beneath said table portion, paper feed means connected tosaid feed shaft, a horizontally disposed spring loaded holding memberdisposed above said table portion and biased toward said paper feedmeans so that selective portions of said paper supply are disposedbetween said paper feed means and said holding member so as to producepositive feeding of said paper supply.

10. A roll memorandum device comprising, a body having a forwardlydisposed table portion having a writing surface thereon and a papersupply support portion adjacent to said table portion, a feed shaftdisposed beneath said table portion, paper feed means connected to saidfeed shaft, a horizontally disposed holding member disposed above saidtable portion and biased toward said paper feed means by spring means sothat selective portions of a paper supply are disposed between saidpaper feed means and said holding member so as to produce positivefeeding of said paper supply, a second shaft disposed adjacent saidfirst shaft, said spring means interconnected between said second shaftand said holding member, a handle member having a center portionpivotally mounted on an intermediate member attached to said paper rollsupport, a coil spring disposed on said center portion and having afirst end engaging a stop on said handle member and a second endengaging a stop on said handle member and a second end engaging a stopon said intermediate member, and a ratchet element attached to thecenter portion of said handle member to pivot therewith and operativelyconnected to said feed shaft to rotate said feed shaft upon depressionof said handle member.

11. A roll memorandum device comprising a body having a forwardlydisposed table portion having a writing surface thereon,

a paper roll rotatably mounted at a rearward end of said body,

guide means in said body for guiding a leading end of said paper rolltowards a forward end of said body and then back towards said paper rollon said writing surface, holding means disposed above said table portionto engage an upper side of the leading end of said paper roll andfurther disposed longitudinally between said paper roll and said writingsurface,

feed means movably mounted on said body, vertically below said holdingmeans, cooperating with said holding means to engage an underside of theleading end of said paper roll to inermittently feed such leading endtowards said paper roll and actuating means for intermittently movingsaid feed means.

12. The roll memorandum of claim 11 further comprising means for biasingsaid guide means towards said feed means.

13. The roll memorandum of claim 11 wherein said holding means comprisesa plate member, disposed at least generally parallel with respect tosaid table portion, having a straight edge thereof portioned to facesaid paper roll and adapted to tear-off the leading end of said paperroll thereat and wherein said feed means comprises at least oneresilient roller projecting through a slot formed through said tableportion to frictionally engage the underside of the leading end of saidpaper roll.

14. A roll memorandum device comprising a body having a forwardlydisposed table portion having a writing surface thereon,

mounting means adapted to rotatably mount a paper roll at a rearward endof said body,

holding means disposed above said table portion adapted to engage anupper side of a leading end of a paper roll and further disposedlongitudinally between said mounting means and said writing surface,

feed means movably mounted on said body, vertically below said holdingmeans, adapted to cooperate with said holding means to engage anunderside of a leading end of a said paper roll to intermittently feedsuch leading end towards said mounting means and actuating means forintermittently moving said feed means comprising a handle pivotallymounted on said body, a sector gear attached to said handle to facetowards a forward end of said body and intermeshing pinion gearsoperatively connected between said feed means and said sector gear foractuating said feed means upon depression of said handle.

15. The roll memorandum of claim 14 further comprising a coverreleasably connected to said body to normally cover said mounting means.

16. The roll memorandum of claim 14 wherein said holding means comprisesa plate member disposed at least generally parallel with respect to saidtable portion and wherein said feed means comprises at least oneresilient roller adapted to frictionally engage an underside of aleading end of a paper roll.

17. The roll memorandum of claim 14 further comprising means movablymounting a pinion gear, normally meshing with said sector gear, in saidbody to permit such meshing during depression of said handle and fordisengaging said pinion gear from said sector gear when said handle israised.

1. A roll memorandum device comprising, in combination, a body having aforwardly disposed table portion having a writing surface thereupon,said body also having a paper supply support portion adjacent a rearwardend of said table portion, a feed shaft disposed beneath said tableportion, paper feed means, including at least one resilient roller,connected to said feed shaft, a paper roll rotatably mounted in saidpaper supply support portion to have paper thereof extend towards aforward end of said paper feed means and back towards said paper roll onsaid writing surface, a horizontally disposed spring loaded holdingmember disposed above said table portion and biased toward the resilientroller of said paper feed means so that selective portions of said papersupply are disposed between the resilient roller of said paper feedmeans and said holding member so as to produce positive feeding of saidpaper supply.
 2. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 1further including a second shaft disposed adjacent said feed shaft, aspring means connected to said second shaft and engaging said holdingmember to bias it towards said paper feed means.
 3. A roll device asdescribed in claim 2 further including a handle pivotally mounted onsaid paper roll support and drive means operatively connected betweensaid handle and said paper feed means for intermittently feeding saidpaper sUpply upon actuation of said handle.
 4. A roll memorandum deviceas described in Claim 3 wherein said drive means comprises a segmentgear attached to said handle to pivot therewith, a first gear meshingwith said segment gear, a second gear meshing with said first gear, anda third gear meshing with said second gear, a shaft carrying said firstgear, a slot within said body supporting said shaft and a biasing springdisposed against said shaft, said first gear being adapted toselectively go into and out of engaged position with said segment gearso that the paper roll can be intermittently rotated in one directiononly.
 5. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 4 wherein saidbody is provided with a pair of laterally spaced open slots adapted tosupport opposite ends of a shaft carrying said paper roll.
 6. A rollmemorandum device as described in claim 5 further including an elongatedpaper support channel upon the underside of said body, a substantiallyU-shaped paper support at the front of said body adjacent said channeland a transversely disposed holding member upon the upper side of saidbody.
 7. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 3 wherein saidhandle has a centrally disposed boss pivotally mounted on said paperroll support an intermediate member disposed between said paper rollsupport and said handle and having opening pivotally mounting said bosstherewithin and an arcuate guide portion supporting said handle member,a coil spring having its opposite ends respectively anchored to saidintermediate member and said handle to bias said handle upwardly, saiddrive means comprising a ratchet element attached to said handle forrotation therewith.
 8. A roll memorandum device as described in claim 1wherein a rotational axis of said paper roll is disposed at a pointbehind the center point of said paper roll support portion.
 9. A rollmemorandum device comprising a body having a forwardly disposed tableportion having a writing surface thereupon and a paper supply supportportion disposed adjacent to said table portion, a paper roll supportedfor rotation in said paper supply support portion at a point behind acenter point of said paper supply support portion, a feed shaft disposedbeneath said table portion, paper feed means connected to said feedshaft, a horizontally disposed spring loaded holding member disposedabove said table portion and biased toward said paper feed means so thatselective portions of said paper supply are disposed between said paperfeed means and said holding member so as to produce positive feeding ofsaid paper supply.
 10. A roll memorandum device comprising, a bodyhaving a forwardly disposed table portion having a writing surfacethereon and a paper supply support portion adjacent to said tableportion, a feed shaft disposed beneath said table portion, paper feedmeans connected to said feed shaft, a horizontally disposed holdingmember disposed above said table portion and biased toward said paperfeed means by spring means so that selective portions of a paper supplyare disposed between said paper feed means and said holding member so asto produce positive feeding of said paper supply, a second shaftdisposed adjacent said first shaft, said spring means interconnectedbetween said second shaft and said holding member, a handle memberhaving a center portion pivotally mounted on an intermediate memberattached to said paper roll support, a coil spring disposed on saidcenter portion and having a first end engaging a stop on said handlemember and a second end engaging a stop on said handle member and asecond end engaging a stop on said intermediate member, and a ratchetelement attached to the center portion of said handle member to pivottherewith and operatively connected to said feed shaft to rotate saidfeed shaft upon depression of said handle member.
 11. A roll memorandumdevice comprising a body having a forwardly disposed table portionhaving a writing surface thereoN, a paper roll rotatably mounted at arearward end of said body, guide means in said body for guiding aleading end of said paper roll towards a forward end of said body andthen back towards said paper roll on said writing surface, holding meansdisposed above said table portion to engage an upper side of the leadingend of said paper roll and further disposed longitudinally between saidpaper roll and said writing surface, feed means movably mounted on saidbody, vertically below said holding means, cooperating with said holdingmeans to engage an underside of the leading end of said paper roll toinermittently feed such leading end towards said paper roll andactuating means for intermittently moving said feed means.
 12. The rollmemorandum of claim 11 further comprising means for biasing said guidemeans towards said feed means.
 13. The roll memorandum of claim 11wherein said holding means comprises a plate member, disposed at leastgenerally parallel with respect to said table portion, having a straightedge thereof portioned to face said paper roll and adapted to tear-offthe leading end of said paper roll thereat and wherein said feed meanscomprises at least one resilient roller projecting through a slot formedthrough said table portion to frictionally engage the underside of theleading end of said paper roll.
 14. A roll memorandum device comprisinga body having a forwardly disposed table portion having a writingsurface thereon, mounting means adapted to rotatably mount a paper rollat a rearward end of said body, holding means disposed above said tableportion adapted to engage an upper side of a leading end of a paper rolland further disposed longitudinally between said mounting means and saidwriting surface, feed means movably mounted on said body, verticallybelow said holding means, adapted to cooperate with said holding meansto engage an underside of a leading end of a said paper roll tointermittently feed such leading end towards said mounting means andactuating means for intermittently moving said feed means comprising ahandle pivotally mounted on said body, a sector gear attached to saidhandle to face towards a forward end of said body and intermeshingpinion gears operatively connected between said feed means and saidsector gear for actuating said feed means upon depression of saidhandle.
 15. The roll memorandum of claim 14 further comprising a coverreleasably connected to said body to normally cover said mounting means.16. The roll memorandum of claim 14 wherein said holding means comprisesa plate member disposed at least generally parallel with respect to saidtable portion and wherein said feed means comprises at least oneresilient roller adapted to frictionally engage an underside of aleading end of a paper roll.
 17. The roll memorandum of claim 14 furthercomprising means movably mounting a pinion gear, normally meshing withsaid sector gear, in said body to permit such meshing during depressionof said handle and for disengaging said pinion gear from said sectorgear when said handle is raised.